Ari Bendersky

2 months ago | blog.resy.com | Ari Bendersky

It’s often said that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. So when Ballyhoo Hospitality saw an opportunity to bring a third location of its very successful North Shore steakhouse Sophia Steak to the city, they didn’t hesitate. Taking over the former Gemini Grill on the ground floor of luxury high rise One Chicago at the corner of State and Chicago, Sophia Steak aims to bring a more accessible steakhouse to a city full of great steakhouses. Oh, and it’s really pretty, too.

2 months ago | finedininglovers.com | Ari Bendersky

From brisket to macaroons, here’s how to find the perfect wine pairings for every dish on your Passover table. When the Israelites fled Pharaoh’s stronghold after 430 years of enslavement in Egypt, their hasty departure left no time for bread to rise—giving us generations’ worth of stories and, of course, matzah. Each spring, Jewish families around the world—Ashkenazic, Sephardic, and beyond—gather around the Seder table to commemorate the Exodus during Passover.

Mar 28, 2025 | aribendersky.substack.com | Ari Bendersky

Welcome to Drink of the Week, where I highlight a wine, a spirit, a cocktail, maybe a canned THC-based drink, something non-alcoholic — really anything I’ve been enjoying. Here’s the catch: Drink of the Week is for paid subscribers only. Want more? Please consider upgrading if you’re currently a free subscriber. If not, you’ll still get other posts. Just not these. And that’s OK. Want a taste? You can unlock this paid content one time if you choose. Want access to paid subscriber posts?

Mar 26, 2025 | blog.resy.com | Ari Bendersky

Discover restaurants to love. The Hit List The Hit List For all your restaurant recommendation needs, look no further than the Resy Hit List, our monthly list of 10 spots that should be on your radar right now.

Mar 12, 2025 | aribendersky.substack.com | Ari Bendersky

I can’t remember my first trip to Mexico. Not that I spent the entire time drunk, mind you. I was a little kid. I just don’t remember which of two trips came first. It was either to Cozumel when my dad and Fred Goldsmith randomly went scuba diving with Peter Scolari who, at the time, was a major TV star due to his co-starring role with Tom Hanks on Bosom Buddies. Or the trip my family took a cruise from LA down to Puerto Vallarta where we were met at the ship by my parents’ friend.